One of the most basic and must have pieces in your wardrobe has to be the white tee. A comfortable white t-shirt that you can throw on without much thought for all occasions; wear it with the boyfriend jeans for a casual chic look, or with a blazer and a skirt for a smart work do. Since the classic t-shirt is made out of white cotton, we have matched it with our own Optic White linen. For Monique, we have added small personal touches like the side slits and alternating lengths for the front and back panels makes a bit more interesting and fun. Let us know how you get along.
Materials
1 yard of IL019 Optic White Softened
Matching sewing thread
1 button
Tools
Pattern master, pattern paper
Paper scissors, fabric scissors
Fabric marker, pins, tape measure
Bias tape maker, hand sewing needles
Time
2-3′ hours
Difficulty
Beginner
Step
Note: Prewash your fabric and tumble dry it until it is still slightly moist, let this dry in room temperature.
1. Iron the fabric so it is easier to work with.
2. DOWNLOAD MULTI-SIZED PATTERN HERE
3. Use a serger, or choose your own method to protect the seams from fraying. Make sure the method you choose does not add weight to the fabric.
4. First, we will make the slit for the back, since linen doesn’t stretch it’s necessary’ to allow more space for your head to fit through. Take your back panel. Make a slit mark measuring 3 inch in length right in the centre of the neckline.
5. Place both panels one on top of each other, with the wrong side facing out. Pin together the shoulder seams, stitch along and press open.
6.’ Match the notched centre point of the sleeve to the sewn shoulder seam, pin along the whole width of the sleeve panel. Stitch along, but leave 3/8 in (1cm) of the material unsewn at both ends of the sleeve panel.
7. To make the side slit opening, measure and mark 1.5 in from the bottom hem of’ your front panel.
8.’ Pin together the sleeve seam as well as the bodice side seam. Stitch along the pinned edge and press open.
9.’ Next, we will finish all hems except for the neckline. In all cases, the seam allowance should be folded inwards onto its wrong side, so essentially onto the inside of your tshirt. Start with the sleeve hems. Press the sleeve hems on both arms.’ Top stitch over this.
10. Continue pressing the bottom hems, including both slits. Top stitch over this pressed edge.
11. Cut more’ material from the back slit opening, to make a wider curve.
12. Following this tutorial, make’ around 1.5 yards (1m) of bias binding tape.
13. Pin the tape along the back slit opening. Top stitch over the pinned edge.
14. Next, take some tape you have already made, half the width and make’ 3 in (7cm) of thinner tape. This will be used as your button loop.
15. Pin this on the left of the back neck opening, as shown in the photo below. Sew along this and trim away excess loop after sewing.
16. Pin your initial tape along the whole collar and top stitch along this.
17. Finally, on the right side where the button loop overlaps, sew on the button by hand.
If you think you don’t need another white t-shirt, why not check out all the other colors we have and play around with all the possibilities you can find?
56 Comments
Hello! Is one yard of fabric sufficient for any size top, or should it be adjusted based on the size? I’m planning to make a size 12/14 and want to ensure I purchase the correct amount of fabric. Thank you!
https://sage-green-dress.com/
Hello! Is one yard the correct amount of fabric regardless of what size top you’re making, or do you need to adjust? I want to make the size 12/14 and need to make sure I buy the right amount of fabric. Thank you!
Sorry if I’ve missed it some where but what are the hem allowances for the sleeve and bottom hem?
Hello Michelle, the hems are 3/8″ folded once. If you don’t have a serger, be sure to add more hem allowance for double folded hems.
What are the fabric requirements here?
Just found it!
I adjusted the top, made it longer and decorated the hem, sleeves and neckline with a printed linnen, and put in an invisible zipper following you tutorial. Came out wonderful!!
Brilliant pattern, and so simple to follow! Thank you so much
Hi I really want to make this but I can’t see the pattern when opening the file.
On the pattern instructions it says “IMPORTANT: Open this PDF using the most current Adobe Reader to access and print all the included files and size layers. You MUST download & open this PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader to see all the attached files and printables. Otherwise, you will only see the instructions and NOT the sewing patterns!”
I’m opening the file in the latest version of Adobe Reader but I can still only see the three instruction pages. Help!
Hey, I had the same problem but if you open it again in Adobe and select View- Show/ Hide- Navigation Panes and de-select attachments if it shows a tick, and then do the same and re-select attachments I could then see all of the different patterns sizes on the left-hand side under the ‘Layers’ heading. Hope this helps you!
I cannot find the pattern pieces. I have downloaded the latest version of Adobe Acrobat – the link keeps bringing me to REVIEWS. This is very frustrating and I really wanted to buy more fabric. Oh well.
Hi there! I’d love to make this top, however, there is no pattern. Whenever I click the link provided in the blogpost, the page then says “Error 404”. Would you be able to help out with this? Thanks!
Try this! https://fabrics-store.com/sewing-patterns/monique-simple-linen-tee-pattern
Hello! I can’t download the pattern
Okay, I’m confused. Do the pattern pieces have seam allowances included, or not?
Hello. I am having a trouble trying to access the PDF patterns. The link appears to be redirecting to the patterns page ??
Very nice! I am so inspired and can’t wait to try this. Thanks for the tutorial.
Hi everyone! The pattern was added back today! You can find it in the article above or by clicking here https://fabrics-store.com/sewing-patterns/simple-linen-tee/
Happy sewing and thank you everyone for your patience while we got it back up 🙂
Thank you so much! Really excited to make this shirt 🙂
unable to print pattern need size 12-14 got instructions but not able to get pattern Glori Bogier
Hellosies everyone! Sorry there were no replies sooner, but I was just emailed about this today. This pattern PDF file will be available shortly. It didn’t transfer automatically while we were updating the website so it needed to be manually uploaded which we are working on now. We will add it as soon as it is available and thank you for your patience. Other patterns have been uploaded and can be found here https://fabrics-store.com/sewing-patterns/. Happy sewing and we will add this one as well as soon as we have it.
is this still being worked on? 🙁 would really love to make this shirt!
Hello Becky – the pattern IS BACK and thank you for your patience while we were getting it back up.
Dear Oksana, is there any update yet? I cannot find it, but would love to sew it soon <3 Thanks!
Hi Sandra! It is back up! You can click on the link in the thread article above and it will take you to download the pattern 🙂
Hi Oksana, i can’t download the pattern, help me please
Hi there – I would really love to make this top but there is still no pattern!
Is there actually a pattern that goes with this? Love the shirt but need the pattern to give it a go!
The link doesn’t lead to a pattern 🙁
There is no link to the pattern, this is such a great pattern, I have used it before and would like to get access to it again.
I’d love to find this pattern again!
Uh oh. The link above also redirects me to the main patterns page instead of to the t-shirt pattern itself.
But on a positive note, the Essential Linen Tank and Crisp Linen Pants patterns are now available on the site again 🙂 Yay!
Sincerely,
Cheryl WIcal
No. I went through the whole site looking for this pattern. It’s not there. Help please!
The T shirt pattern please.
The t-shirt pattern is not on the main patterns list nor attached to the link. I’d love to make this but need the pattern please.
Hi! I would love to make this, but clicking the pattern link redirects me to the patterns page, where it doesn’t appear to be listed. Is there a way to still access this pattern?
Hi There, I am also having trouble trying to access the PDF patterns. The link appears to be redirecting to the patterns page?
I am having the same problem!
Hello,
For some reason when I click the link for the pdf pattern it takes me back to the website. Am I not looking right or is there not actually a pdf pattern?
Best,
Leah
I made this today and I LOVE it! It’s a little different from my normal wardrobe pieces, but I think I can get a lot of use out of it. It inspired me to make a tank out of the same linen/cotton blend I made the shirt from, and then I made a skirt from fabric I had on my shelf for a few years. This has been a great day! Thanks for the wonderful inspiration!
I enjoy your patterns and tutorials very much, but as not everyone is well connected to the internet (I get my internet via satellite and I can get a cell phone signal if I get onto the roof) it would help if the sewing directions were included in the PDF. Thank You Very Much, Nancy F. Smith
Hi there, I have just discovered your website and am loving all your free tutorials. The patterns are exactly what I am after! Thank you so much. Keep up what you do.
This t-shirt is my first project. I have just sewn a mock up and the underarm where the sleeve and bodice meet is puckering / gathering a lot and not sitting nicely. I cant figure out what I have done wrong! Is there a way to stop this or should I draft the pattern with a more traditional curved sleeve armhole? Thankyou, any help would be appreciated!
Thank you so much for uploading this tutorial. I would absolutely love to make this shirt, however after trying to draft the pattern, I am very confused as to how to add the seam allowance!
I have looked at your tutorial on how to draft a pattern, however I did not find it very helpful in this scenario, as it requires the drafting of the pattern, and then the addition of the seam allowance. Yet as it currently appears, the measurements of the horizontal lines (on the front and back panels) don’t appear to match up? The bottom = 27 cm, and the total width of the top = 26cm? As a result, I am very confused as to where the seam allowance needs to be added so as to not alter the dimensions of the shirt (yet still make the measurements add up)!
Any assistance as to where I am making a mistake would be greatly appreciated, or the uploading of the promised pattern! Thank you so much, and thanks again for uploading these fantastic tutorials.
Will you please upload a printable pdf of this pattern for my files? I can transform it into a pattern by myself. Thank you very much.
I think your website is much useful to us! We hope that you keep up the good work. Will you please also visit our website also?
Thank you!
would like to print this out for future sewing project
Arvilla, hello, we are going to upload a printable PDF shortly. Please note that this is only a diagram and should be used to make your own pattern as a guide. If you need more help, we have two tutorials to help you with this. One is how to draft your pattern: https://blog.staging.fabrics-store.com/2015/05/25/how-to-draft-a-pattern-tutorial/ and this one on how to grade to your preferred size: https://blog.staging.fabrics-store.com/2015/06/01/how-to-grade-a-pattern-tutorial/ Hope this helps. Do let us know if we can help you further.
Need tutorial for the pants.
I’ve never seen sleeves put on this way before. Neat idea.
I’m still really unsure of how to grade up patterns, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to try this or not.
Hi there Chemistmom, thank you for your comment, we are pleased you have some new ideas now. We do have a tutorial which helps you to grade your patterns- its pretty simple, but if you have any doubts please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Here is the tutorial: https://blog.staging.fabrics-store.com/2015/06/01/how-to-grade-a-pattern-tutorial/
I think I’d prefer to make this with the notched-neck opening in front so it could be worn with a “Y”-back bra… Will probably try it with one of my “Doggie Bag” sale remnants. 🙂
Hey Amycat, show us what you’ve done. We would love to have a look.
How do you get the patterns to download? I’d like to show this one (via email) to my Granddaughter at college and then make her several in different colors.
Dear Cynthia, We are going to upload a printable PDF shortly but it should only be used as a diagram to draft your own pattern. If you need more help, we have two tutorials to help you with this. One is how to draft your pattern: https://blog.staging.fabrics-store.com/2015/05/25/how-to-draft-a-pattern-tutorial/ and this one on how to grade to your preferred size: https://blog.staging.fabrics-store.com/2015/06/01/how-to-grade-a-pattern-tutorial/ Hope this helps. Do let us know if we can help you further.
Would love a PDFs if possible
Hello Rosalyn, thank you for getting in touch. We are going to upload a printable PDF shortly. Please note that this is only a diagram and should be used to make your own pattern as a guide. If you need more help, we have two tutorials to help you with this. One is how to draft your pattern: https://blog.staging.fabrics-store.com/2015/05/25/how-to-draft-a-pattern-tutorial/ and this one on how to grade to your preferred size: https://blog.staging.fabrics-store.com/2015/06/01/how-to-grade-a-pattern-tutorial/ Hope this helps. Do let us know if we can help you further.